The Singles Jukebox

SCUZZ~!…

[Video][Website]
[5.29]

Alfred Soto: No one needs to be told about its holistic possibilities, not in 2013, not when MBV gave us an impressive reminder a few months ago. Feedback riding surly adolescent rage can barrel down the highway, like the motorcycle sampled at the end of the track. But that’s the problem: the end of the track is a long way.
[5]

Patrick St. Michel: A good-but-not great song that turns into something intriguing when Bradford Cox falls into a trance and just repeats the titular word over and over again.
[7]

Anthony Easton: The sound near the end of this is like a lawn tractor that’s hit a patch of decorative shale — a sound I would have never thought to put in a song, but between that and the feedback, it kind of works.
[6]

Daniel Montesinos-Donaghy: It was the early hours of New Years Day 2012 when I find myself drunkenly teasing my friend for admitting she is a Deerhunter fan: “No, not true, their fans don’t exist!” The alcohol wore off but my somewhat irrational dislike of the Bradford Cox-fronted band kept going, and soon enough the joy I got from making fun of Deerhunter far outweighed the experience of actually listening to Deerhunter. From my point of view, they have always been a band to be endured rather than be enjoyed. Funnily enough, “Monomania” is better as an endurance challenge, decaying under feedback and motorcycle noise (!), than it is as a half-baked tambourine-shakin’ fuzz-rock romp. Even when they notch a win, they sound like they are losing. PS. Sorry Jules, I accept there may be Deerhunter fans, it’s cool.
[6]

Jer Fairall: A potentially fascinating tangle of queer angst, complete with unrequited love, calls for divine intervention and eventual hysteria, but it is outmatched by the tangle of ugly noise that not only stifles any hope for catharsis but then drags the whole ordeal out for an absolutely punishing five-plus minutes.
[3]

Ian Mathers: I’m sure there’s overlap between Wavves fans and Deerhunter fans, but this is closer to “Afraid of Heights” than any partisans of either would like to admit. “Monomania” (and Deerhunter) is better, partly because they don’t half-ass the scuzz and the end of the song actually builds to something that’s compelling instead of trailing off. But it’s telling that the best part of the song is when it shreds itself to bits.
[6]

Brad Shoup: Two-dimensional scuzz-rock topped by affected greaser howl. We’ve got whole jukeboxes with that down here. I’m good.
[4]